Ep 33: Twisting about Oakridge with Mona
Getting lost looking for a labyrinth
Lost
There was nothing sacred about an abandoned field of browned grass. I had “arrived” at the wrong place, expecting to face The Temple of the Unitarians! (*cue thunder SFX Indiana-Jones style), not an eerily quiet Oak Park. I was in the Oakridge neighbourhood alright, just many kilometres off my true destination.
My co-conspirator, Mona, shared that she was “15 mins away”, which got me all gingered up. It’d take 30+ minutes to walk up Fremlin St to our meeting spot, no time to waste! The thought of this misadventure allowing me to cover more unexplored roads in my grand quest was a good cope. Let’s go!
Rabbit Hole
This mishap was hilarious because the very reason I was walking this neighbourhood, so far from home, involved assured destinations and not getting lost. Some weeks ago, I fell down a rabbit hole on labyrinths—something about their unicursal geometries and the idea of a single path, however long-winding, leading to a single centre tickled my fancy. Reading a bit about the history of labyrinths, I had a few surprises.
For example, many would immediately think of Greek mythology (the classic Minotaur story) but would be surprised to learn how much labyrinths were used in medieval Christian tradition! It does makes sense though, given how compatible some Christian theologies—and Maroon 5—are with directed paths. I…digress.
In my obsession with them, I thought it’d be a great idea to walk some labyrinths in Vancouver if there were any. Thanks to Labyrinth Locator, I found a few and put them on a PamPam map, ready to explore!
And friends, that’s how I ended up in Oakridge on a chilly Sunday afternoon, off by a few kilometres from a labyrinth I wanted to check out.
Long Way Round and Back
Tardiness aside, the walk was calming actually. I was in the residential parts, strolling down empty streets, sharing space only with parked cars and the many horse-chestnut fruits dropped from the surrounding canopy. I even had the serenity to play a game of counting down avenues as I walked up Fremlin (63rd Avenue, 14 more to go)!
Like any good (mis)adventure, the calm had to end. The vignette deepened when Apple Maps sent me through a shortcut I gladly welcomed (Mona was now at the spot, waiting for me). It led to a mysterious entrance with indecipherable graffiti and a weirdly narrow path.
This long narrow stretch between tall walls with no escape routes—perfect ambush territory. But, I walked anyway. In retrospect, that was a good exercise in ‘trusting the path’, which happens to be one of the themes with labyrinths.
Once on the other side, I realised why it all felt off. I was walking through a school compound! After five more avenues, the destination was in sight.
Sacred Ground
Walking up the stairs of the Unitarian Church, I spotted a woman in all-black with a fuschia-ish over-the-shoulder satchel. “Hope I didn’t take too long, Mona 😅”, I muttered feeling beads of sweat along my hairline. She assured me it wasn’t a problem, and we exchanged quick updates as we entered the grounds.
The Temple of the—sorry—The Unitarian Church’s courtyard had an unmistakably sacred feel. Large clouds had blocked the sun’s rays, and combined with the crisp air and gradients of dead foliage carpeting the ground, the space felt sharp; liminal vibes.
What struck me most was the intentional absence of gates or fences—a physical embodiment of the Vancouver Unitarians’ welcome and inclusive philosophy, pretty cool!
The labyrinth itself played hide and seek with us at first. We spent a minute scanning the place until we noticed the red painted lines beneath the leaf cover, revealing a geometric pattern on the cement-tiled floor near the entrance, with 90-degree angles.
Mona’s enthusiasm encouraged my excited rambling about labyrinth traditions and walking practices. We formed a little caterpillar, taking measured steps along the implicit path. I explained how the walking practice centred on trusting that regardless of the turns, you will always arrive at the centre, freeing your mind to focus on deeper meditation, whatever that may be. Mona cheekily suggested I practice what I preached and actually stay present in our walk. Guilty as charged, haha!
The experience transformed into something both ordinary and surreal; two nerds slowly walking a unicursal pattern, drawing closer to the centrepiece. The silence amplified the moment’s power. Two cats danced in the distance—a fitting reflection of our meditative movement through the courtyard.
I walked it once more solo, taking Mona’s wisdom about letting go of control and focusing on the repetitive steps. Rather than growing impatient, to my surprise, she observed thoughtfully, occasionally catching my eye with a warm smile or snapping a photo while I shyly looked away.
After Steps
Leaving the labyrinth, we walked past the temple’s community gardens and around the block.
Something felt oddly different about our pace until I stopped abruptly. “What?”, Mona asked, noticing my puzzled expression. It took a moment to realise what felt off—the lot sizes in this neighbourhood were notably larger than in other areas I’d walked, and my body had unconsciously registered this shift in urban rhythm.
Wrapping around Montgomery Park where baseball players dotted the field before returning to our starting point.
Later that evening, Gogomi added another walk to my collection. The stats were nice, but they missed the best bits: quality time with a friend, unexpected discoveries, and getting thoroughly lost while searching for a labyrinth. How fitting!
